We have written extensively about the merits of topping up your own CPF accounts. The high, risk-free interest given by CPF allows it to be an effective instrument to compound your interest returns over a long period of time.
Beyond mandatory CPF contributions required, CPF members are also allowed to do their own top-up to their CPF accounts using cash. Doing so increases the savings in their respective CPF accounts, and allows them to enjoy tax reliefs on their income tax.
We explore two main ways you can top up your CPF accounts. Firstly, you can 1) make voluntary CPF MediSave top-ups. You can also 2) top up your CPF Special Account (or Retirement Account if you are 55 or above) via the Retirement Sum Topping Up Scheme.
But what are the differences between these two schemes? More importantly, what is the implication of choosing either option over the other?
Read Also: 5 Reasons Why You Should Top-Up Your CPF Special Account During This Year-End
Before we dwell deeper into the discussion, let’s first understand some of the restrictions and limitations of topping up your CPF accounts.
With effect from 1 January 2022, voluntary contributions made for CPF MediSave top-ups will no longer be subject to the Contribution Limit. Instead, CPF members can make voluntary contributions up to the Basic Healthcare Sum ($68,500 in 2023, and $71,500 from 2024). Additionally, the tax relief for both MediSave and Retirement Sum Topping Up Scheme top-ups is a shared cap of $8,000, and another $8,000 tax relief for top-ups to loved ones.
What this means is that if you are making a contribution to your MediSave Account directly, but you already have $65,000 in the account, then you will only be able to earn tax relief of $3,500 (the difference between the BHS of $68,500 in 2023 and $65,000 that you already have) (as of 2023). However, if you have already made an RSTU top-up of $7,000, you would only be able to enjoy a tax relief of $1,000, instead of the full $3,500. Conversely, if you topped up your MediSave Account by $3,500 (up to the BHS in 2023), you would only be able to enjoy a tax relief of $4,500 for your RSTU top-up, even if you top up more.
Do note all tax relief is subject to your personal tax relief cap of $80,000.
Read Also: What’s The Maximum Amount You Can Contribute To Your CPF Accounts Each Year?
Voluntary Contribution For MediSave top-ups Or Retirement Sum Topping Up Scheme?
Assuming Alex, a Singaporean who is currently 35, has $8,000 which he wishes to use to top up his CPF account and to earn tax relief.
For this article, we will assume he only considers a voluntary contribution to his Medisave top-up.
Alternatively, Alex can also choose to make a Retirement Sum Top-up to his own CPF Special Account and earn tax relief of up to $8,000.
As the tax relief for both MediSave and RSTU top-ups share a cap of $8,000 and another $8,000 tax relief for top-ups to loved ones, it really boils down to which top-up is more suitable for your purposes.
Which should he/you choose? Here are some notable factors which are worth considering.
What Should You Invest In If You Have An Extra $8,000 At The End Of 2022?
MediSave Account Can Be Used For Medical Treatment & Health Insurance While Special Account Can Be Used Only For Retirement
The first thing to note is that while you are still young (i.e. below 55), your MediSave Account will be more useful.
That’s because your MediSave Account can be used to pay for the cost of hospitalisation, pregnancy-related costs and some of your health insurance premiums such as MediShield Life, ElderShield/CareShield Life and any private integrated shield plan which you may purchase.
In addition, you can also use your MediSave Account to pay for hospital treatments and insurance premiums for your spouse, children and parents.
In contrast, your CPF Special Account has limited usage when you are still below the age of 55. This is because it’s meant for your future retirement. The only thing you could do right now is to invest the funds for a higher return via the CPF Investment Scheme – Special Account (CPFIS-SA).
When Your MediSave Is Full, Further Contributions Will Spills Over To Your Special Account.
From an interest rate point of view, both the CPF Special Account and MediSave Account are comparable because they both earn you a minimum of 4.08% per annum (from Jan to March 2024). When interest rates rise (or fall), both accounts will be similarly affected as they share the same formula to calculate their interest rates.
However, consider what happens if your MediSave Account has reached the contribution ceiling (i.e. the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS)).
Basic Healthcare Sum: Our MediSave Account cannot have an amount that is more than the Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) – currently at $68,500 as of 2023, and $71,500 as of 2024.
If we already achieved the current BHS, any contributions made to our MediSave Account (including mandatory contributions) will automatically flow to our CPF Special Account.
This means that it will continue to earn us a minimum interest of 4.08% per annum (from Jan to Mar 2024), similar to the contribution to our MediSave Account. This makes it a lot easier for us to achieve the Full Retirement Sum (FRS) for our CPF Special Account once our MediSave Account has reached the BHS.
Why Should You Top-Up Your Special Account Over Your MediSave Account?
The Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme is a separate scheme from the CPF Annual Contribution Limit. This scheme is meant for CPF members to build up their retirement savings. Cash top-ups will go to your Special Account or your Retirement Account (for those 55 and above)
Your Special Account Will Ultimately Be Used For CPF LIFE
The biggest reason for topping up your CPF Special Account is how the funds are meant to support you in the future.
When you top up your MediSave Account, you are basically saying that you want the funds to help you cover the healthcare expenses for you and your loved ones in the future. When you top up your Special Account instead, the funds will be used to fund your future retirement.
At age 55, funds from your CPF Special Account and Ordinary Account will be set aside in your Retirement Account. You can choose between the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS), Full Retirement Sum (FRS) and Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS). You also have the option of withdrawing any unused amount from your OA and your SA which has not been set aside in your Retirement Account.
Read Also: Here’s What Your CPF Full Retirement Sum Might Look Like When You’re 55
Besides Paying For Healthcare Related Expenses, You Have No Real Way Of Withdrawing Your MediSave Account Savings
Since MediSave savings are meant for your hospitalisation and medical expenses, there is no real way you can withdraw funds from your Medisave Account, unless you fall ill – which is not what you would want either.
If you have the good fortune of living till old age without needing to be hospitalised, you might find yourself with a sizeable sum of money in your MediSave Account – without being able to use it, besides paying for your own MediShield Life, ElderShield or CareShield Life premiums, and those of your loved ones.
Of course, the positive way of seeing this is to count your blessings, knowing that the only reason why you have MediSave savings that you can’t use is that you do not have hospitalisation expenses or medical treatments to pay for. That, by itself, should be considered a win.
However, you could also be forgiven for thinking that in hindsight, you should have topped up your Special Account/Retirement Account instead, since that would give you more funds that you can use during your retirement.
Similar to most personal financial decisions that we make, there are usually two sides to any decision.
When it comes to topping up your MediSave Account or your Special Account, there is no right or wrong answer. Nobody, except for you, can say whether it’s better to save up for your future medical expenses or your retirement.
The best thing we can do for ourselves is to do our best to understand how the various schemes work and to make a decision based on what we are most comfortable with.
This article was originally written on 10 June 2019 and has been updated with the latest information.
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